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Valteia Sindal
Valteia Sindal is a Shal'dorei shadowblade who serves as the advisor to Lady Seilune Astrande, as the head of covert ops in the Duskwatch Saberguard, and as an assassin and spy of La Division Emberfury. Valteia only appears in-game as Valteia. Her name is pronounced 'Val•tay•uh.' Sidebar art by the lovely SuramarElf! Physical Description Standing at 6'5", Valteia is vastly shorter than the average Shal'dorei female. Her body is lithe, much more akin to a Sin'dorei, and her skin is ghastly pale. Raven black hair flows to her mid-back, but is often kept up in a high ponytail for convenience sake. Due to the withering, her face is heavily sunken with cheekbones prominent, and void-laced scarring is etched around her mouth, down her neck, and on the backs of her hands. Her attunement to Void magic has changed the glow of her eyes from ethereal lavender to fiery violet. She dons all black, leather attire, a set consisting of a high-neck top, trousers, gloves, and treads. A matching mask is tied around her mouth, used to quiet her breathing as well as to hide her scars from plain sight. Personality Valteia is a woman of few words, only speaking when absolutely necessary. When she does, she chooses her words carefully, crafting intricate and concise sentences that express the bare minimum. She is level-headed and well disciplined, and does not allow her emotions to get the best of her. To Valteia, becoming emotional can cloud one's judgment, leading them to become irrational and to make poor decisions. She is highly wary of the aristocracy and blames them for the deaths of countless Shal'dorei at the hands of the Burning Legion. They can gain her trust--it just takes some time. Friendships and relationships are not often sought out by Valteia as she finds they can be a distraction, and she feels anyone close to her could get caught in the crossfire should she make enemies. She is devoted to her work as a scout, advisor, and assassin, and is never seen not busying herself in one of these roles. Abilities As a Shal'dorei, Valteia possesses a natural affinity for the arcane, but is sub par in it compared to the rest of her kin. Prior to her affliction, she used it to cloak her form, allowing her to stealth and become invisible to the naked eye for a short duration. Now, she relies on the Void for the surplus of her abilities. Fan of Knives: A set of twenty knives conjured from pure shadow that project from Valteia, hitting all enemies in close proximity. Shadow Step: While stealthed, Valteia reemerges behind her target to deal a devastating blow. Eviscerate: Valteia sinks her daggers into the body of her target, cutting it along the chest cavity to disembowel. Dispersion: Telepathy: History Birth and Early Years Valteia Sindal was born 3,272 years ago in Suramar City into the illustrious House Fontelle. With raven hair, pale skin, and of tiny size, even in infancy, her parents were horrified by the child to which they had given birth. Deeming Valteia's black hair a sign of impurity within their bloodline, they abandoned her as an infant on the doorstep of a local orphanage, leaving her to be taken in and cared for by the workers there. Her caretakers had no idea of whence the child had came, only a blanket embroidered with her name serving as any form of identification. As a child, Valteia was constantly teased for her looks, with the other children calling her "cursed" and accrediting it as the reason why she was abandoned. Such ridicule took its toll on Valteia, and with her circumstances and how differently she looked compared to others, she began to wonder if those claims were true. But not everyone viewed her in such a negative light. Another orphan by the name of Andruil Sindal befriended Valteia and assured her that she was neither ugly nor cursed. The two were inseparable and grew up side-by-side, and encouraged each other in pursuing their dreams and ambitions. Being fascinated by weaponry, Andruil followed the path of becoming a blacksmith, and eventually received an apprenticeship under a master to learn the trade skill. Valteia had a knack for singing, but was too shy to perform in the presence of others, and seeing as she didn't have the 'look,' she felt sure that nobody would ever take her and her talent seriously. And so, she gave up on that dream. Once Valteia and Andruil came of age and the latter finished his apprenticeship, the couple married and began a humble life together in the Evermoon Commons. For millennia the two elves lived happily, Andruil working long hours as an arcanosmith and Valteia caring for their two children as a housewife. But with a family of four, a lackluster income, and magical addiction plaguing them, Valteia knew that she had to step up to the plate. Unbeknownst to her family, Valteia spent her nights sneaking through the aqueducts that coursed beneath the city, stealing bottles of arcwine from the wineries or from unsuspecting nobles. Being small in stature, she could easily squeeze through the narrowest of crevices, and used arcane magic to conceal her form as she traversed, but due to her limited mana pool, she could only maintain such a spell for a limited duration. Her frequent navigating led to her learning all of the secret paths beneath the city, as well as the fastest routes between her home, the wineries, and the noble estates. The Legion Invasion of Suramar When the Burning Legion invaded Suramar and created a pact with Grand Magistrix Elisande, wineries began to heavily ration their supplies of arcwine, thus making it even more difficult for the Sindals to obtain. There were times when the family went upwards to two weeks without sustenance, and seeing the faces of her children and husband begin to wither and lose vigor prompted Valteia to steal during the day as well as during the night. For awhile, things were stable. The family had a steady supply of arcwine and when asked by Andruil, Valteia simply said that she had done favors for the aristocracy during the day (cleaning, cooking, etc.), and they would give her wine as payment. But one day while travelling the aqueducts, her luck finally ran out. With the Legion's presence in Suramar City, pieces of architecture had begun to crumble, breaking into the lower levels of the city. Valteia had not planned to be met by such a blockade during one of her supply runs, which greatly hindered her when she tried to make haste back to her house with a bottle of arcwine in hand. As she was approaching home, her mana was completely depleted, causing Valteia to appear in broad daylight and be caught red-handed by a city guard. To her surprise, the Duskwatch already knew who she was and knew of her home and family, for he had been watching her for some time. And like a cat with a mouse, he waited for the perfect moment to make his kill. Seized and restrained, Valteia was paraded through the streets as an example of those who defy the law and rule of the Grand Magistrix until finally reaching her house, where Andruil, Lystana, and Valtrier were ordered to come outside and forced onto the ground. The Duskwatch unsheathed his blade and held a blade to her husband's neck, a smirk on his face as he spoke: "Let this be a lesson that actions have consequences for more than just yourself, but for your loved ones as well." One by one, and in cold blood, he executed Valteia's loved ones as she watched on in horror, screaming as she tried desperately to reach them. But rather than share the same as fate as them, the Duskwatch had other plans for her. To give her ample time to think about her actions, Valteia was thrown out of and banished from the city, forced to slowly succumb to starvation. Exile and the Dark Bargain Having lost everything, Valteia thought back to the ridicule from her childhood and her nickname as "The Cursed," and in that moment, more than ever, she truly believed it. In her eyes, it was she who caused such misfortune to plague her family. If only she had been more careful, she had taken more precautions to ensure she wasn't being followed, they would still be alive. In her state of self-loathing, she contemplated taking her own life so she may be released from this mortal coil. But rage fueled her ever step and breath, and she could not accept the icy embrace of death until her work was done. Thus, she carried on, hoping to meet others who had suffered a similar fate to her and exact revenge on the corrupt politicians and aristocracy who had damned their people. But days turned to weeks and weeks to a full month as she trekked and with each step she took, the pangs of hunger increased and began to take their toll on her. Valteia felt as if she had combed the entire area, and yet she had not come across another adventurer like herself--not until one day. Near the Crimson Thicket, Valteia could heavily sense the presence of an arcane being, and she quickly followed its scent. As she approached, she saw the form of male Sin'dorei who was collecting herbs. Now almost completely Withered, Valteia attacked and killed the man in a state of frenzy and siphoned his body completely of his essence. But little did she know, he was a Shadow Priest whose body was attuned to the Void, and with the absorption of arcane, shadow was as well. Darkness flooded Valteia's mind, and whispers from the Great Dark Beyond began to speak to her. The Void fed on her emotions, slowly consuming her rage, guilt, and sadness in an attempt to, eventually, consume her entire humanity. Though Valteia's hunger was sated, it only a matter of time before before the pangs returned. She turned to feasting on the mana-infused animals native to Suramar to feed her addiction, her body eventually covered head to toe in their blood. It was during such a hunt when she was discovered by a band of Thalyssra's rebels a few miles outside of Shal'aran. At first, they believed she was a Withered due to her progressed withering and her wild appearance. But when they looked into her eyes, they could see a glimmer of humanity within the void-laced pits, and they decided to take her back to the rebels' base with them. Joining the Rebellion Upon rescue by a band of Thalyssra's rebels, Valteia was taken to Shal'aran where she was cleaned, her body rejuvenated, and was given a fruit of the Arcan'dor to sate her arcane addiction. But even after eating the fruit and being cleansed, the scarring caused by the withering didn't heal, and the damage was quickly deemed irreversible by healers. Priests blamed the Void magic that had seeped into her damaged skin upon its ingestion, creating scar tissue. Valteia didn't like the person she saw when she looked at her reflection. The scars were a reminder of the mistakes she had made and of the curse she now bore. To keep them out of sight and out of mind, she opted to wear a leather face mask. Valteia's knowledge of the city and the hidden paths in and out of the aqueducts were deemed valuable, and she and other rebels infiltrated the city through these entryways to gain intel, intercept couriers,and carefully watch the movements of Elisande and Gul'dan's forces. It was during one of these missions when she saw the man who had murdered her family, and whose actions had subsequently led to her withering and affliction. Finally, the time had come for her get her revenge and deliver his just desserts, and with the shadows on her side, she was confident that she would not fail--not this time. Through her telepathic powers, Valteia spoke to him and lured him into the aqueducts. It was there where she ambushed him, critically wounding him but not enough to kill him. She felt it only right that he suffered just as she had and so she toyed with him and showed him the monster that he had had a hand in creating. While he was still alive, she siphoned the essence from his body and absorbed it into him own, his death agonizing and slow. (TBC) The Insurrection of Suramar The Agents of Suramar Mounts and Companions Sarina Sarina is a mana saber who was gifted to Valteia by the Suramari military for her assistance with Thalyssra's rebels. The saber's personality perfectly mirrors that of her master, often opting to stay in the shadows and watch situations from afar. Relationships Family * Andruil Sindal: Andruil was the long-time best friend and later husband of Valteia Sindal. Having met as residents of the same orphanage, Valteia and Andruil became close and grew up together, with their friendship turning into romance. He and Valteia were happily married until his death at the hands of the Duskwatch. * Lystana Sindal: Lystana was the daughter and eldest child of Andruil and Valteia Sindal. She held an affinity for the arcane, which came to the pleasant surprise of Valteia. Lystana dreamed of one day becoming an Orbitist and was highly studious--a model student among her peers. She died alongside her father at the hands of the Duskwatch. * Valtrier Sindal: Valtrier was the son and youngest child of Andruil and Valteia Sindal. Andruil was given the choice to name him and chose to honor his wife, Valteia. He was greatly fascinated by mana sabers and held respect for the Duskwatch, his dream to become a Duskwatch battlemaster when he grew up. He died alongside his father and sister at the hands of the Duskwatch. * Ruviari Fontelle: Ruviari is a former Duskwatch astromancer and orbitist, and is Valteia's older brother. He remembers his mother's pregnancy with Valteia and how excited he was to have a little sister and companion, as well as the sadness he felt when he was told that she had died in birth. In recent days he has begun having prophetic dreams involving a masked woman, which has led him on an independent search for the connection between the two of them. Little does he know, this elusive woman is his long-lost sibling. Business * Lady Seilune Astrande: Seilune is the Head of House Astrande and the current Ambassador of the Agents of Suramar. Valteia serves as her advisor, assisting her in diplomatic affairs. She often accompanies Seilune during envoys and meetings, speaking telepathically to her to voice thoughts and concerns. Lending her skills as a spymaster and assassin, Valteia keeps Seilune informed of various comings and goings with people of interest. Of course, she is not free from grunt work, often filing paperwork and sending out letters. * Lady Nimuehdra Emberfury: Nimuehdra is the Head of House Emberfury, an ambassador of the Scions, and the leader of La Division Emberfury. Valteia serves as one of her shadows (ombres), gaining intel for Nimuehdra and assisting her on missions regularly. * Agent Alouette L'ecouyier: Alouette is a Shal'dorei assassin and a former member of the Rebellion. She was part of the scouting party that found Valteia in her withered state, making her an instrumental figure in her rescue and recuperation. Both women pledged their loyalty to the First Arcanist, serving the Dusk Lily as spies and assassins, and parted ways after the Insurrection. They reunited under the banner of the Duskwatch Saberguard, where Alouette now serves under Valteia in the military division's covert ops unit. * Director Harleena: Harleena was the Director of the Agents of Suramar, a former Arcanist and powerful Spellblade. Valteia served as one of her scouts and spymasters, and was often sent out on missions by the Director to gather intel. Quotes * "It is never a waste to want to save somebody." * "Do not allow your emotions to get the better of you." * “Maintaining an enigmatic presence is for the best. It allows you to hide. To become unrecognizable. To become nobody." Trivia * Valteia has yet to discover that she is of noble descent. External Links * Armory * Tumblr * Duskwatch Saberguard Tumblr * Art Album Category:Nightborne Category:Rogue Category:Horde Rogue